peg
[peg]
- a pin of wood or other material driven or fitted into something, as to fasten parts together, to hang things on, to make fast a rope or string on, to stop a hole, or to mark some point.
- Informal. a leg, either real or wooden: still on his pegs at 99.
- a notch or degree: to come down a peg.
- an occasion, basis, or reason: a peg to hang a grievance on.
- Also called pin. Music. a pin of wood or metal in the neck of a stringed instrument that may be turned in its socket to adjust a string's tension.
- Informal. a throw, especially in baseball: The peg to the plate was late.
- news peg.
- Economics. the level at which some price, exchange rate, etc., is set.
- British, Indian English. an alcoholic drink, especially a whiskey or brandy and soda.
- British. clothespin.
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- to drive or insert a peg into.
- to fasten with or as with pegs.
- to mark with pegs.
- to strike or pierce with or as with a peg.
- to keep (the commodity price, exchange rate, etc.) at a set level, as by manipulation or law.
- Informal. to throw (a ball).
- Journalism. to base (an article, feature story, etc.) upon; justify by (usually followed by on): The feature on the chief of police was pegged on the riots.
- Informal. to identify: to peg someone as a good prospect.
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- to work or continue persistently or energetically: to peg away at a homework assignment.
- Informal. to throw a ball.
- Croquet. to strike a peg, as in completing a game.
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- Also pegged. tapered toward the bottom of the leg: peg trousers.
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- take down a peg, to reduce the pride or arrogance of; humble: I guess that'll take him down a peg!
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Origin of peg
1400–50; late Middle English pegge (noun), peggen (v.) < Middle Dutch
Peg
[peg]
- a female given name, form of Peggy.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for peg
Contemporary Examples
To “link up the beachheads and peg out claims well inland” was necessarily the first aim of Overlord.
And so the shaming of them, the public taking them down a peg or two, become moments to savor.
His team routed the British and hence, at the Patiala Peg, drinks are served in 75 ml glasses, compared to the standard 60 ml.
Chris Christie casts a big political shadow—but one Democrat has stepped up to try to take him down a peg.
Jacoby isn't quite so convincing to me on what such a view can offer at moments of great tragedy (her peg of course was Newtown).
Historical Examples
Phim sticks to it, too; tells me my peg is downright encouragement to the bacteria.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Then, still softly and swiftly, he lifted the saddle from its peg and put it on its back.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
Shandy gave the bridle a swing, and it clattered to the floor from its peg.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
I'll hang it back on the peg just now, but don't use it again fer a bit.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
In the other case the moving and steering was done by turning a peg.
Tom Sawyer AbroadMark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
peg
- a small cylindrical pin or dowel, sometimes slightly tapered, used to join two parts together
- a pin pushed or driven into a surface: used to mark scores, define limits, support coats, etc
- music any of several pins passing through the head (peg box) of a stringed instrument, which can be turned so as to tune strings wound around themSee also pin (def. 11)
- Also called: clothes peg British a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dryUS and Canadian equivalent: clothespin
- informal a person's leg
- Northern English dialect a tooth
- British a small drink of wine or spirits, esp of brandy or whisky and soda
- an opportunity or pretext for doing somethinga peg on which to hang a theory
- a mountaineering piton
- croquet a post that a player's ball must strike to win the game
- angling a fishing station allotted to an angler in a competition, marked by a peg in the ground
- informal a level of self-esteem, importance, etc (esp in the phrases bring or take down a peg)
- informal See peg leg
- off the peg mainly British (of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made
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- (tr) to knock or insert a peg into or pierce with a peg
- (tr sometimes foll by down) to secure with pegsto peg a tent
- mountaineering to insert or use pitons
- (tr) to mark (a score) with pegs, as in some card games
- (tr) informal to aim and throw (missiles) at a target
- (intr; foll by away, along, etc) mainly British to work steadilyhe pegged away at his job for years
- (tr) to stabilize (the price of a commodity, an exchange rate, etc) by legislation or market operations
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Word Origin
C15: from Low Germanic pegge
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for peg
n.
mid-15c., from Middle Dutch pegge "peg," a common Low German word (cf. Low German pigge "peg," German Pegel "gauge rod, watermark," Middle Dutch pegel "little knob used as a mark," Dutch peil "gauge, watermark, standard"), of uncertain origin; perhaps from PIE *bak- "staff used as support" (see bacillus). To be a square peg in a round hole "be inappropriate for one's situation" is attested from 1836; to take someone down a peg is from 1580s, but the original literal sense is uncertain (most of the likely candidates are not attested until centuries later). Peg leg "wooden leg" attested from 1765.
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v.
"fasten with or as if on a peg," 1590s, from peg (n.). Slang sense of "identify, classify" first recorded 1920. Related: Pegged; pegging.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with peg
peg
In addition to the idiom beginning with peg
- peg away at
also see:
- square peg in a round hole
- take down a notch (peg)
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.